Record-breaking long-distance cyclist Mark Beaumont has presented the first-ever winners of Scotmid’s Community Connect award – Dundee-based charity Eighteen and Under – with a cheque for £15,000.
Community Connect was launched in May this year and three good cause groups were shortlisted to benefit from funds generated via the sale of single-use carrier bags. The winner was decided after a ballot at the North Region’s Ordinary General Meeting in October.
Scotmid member and Community Connect’s ambassador, Beaumont, who recently smashed two records during his 79-day cycle around the world, met Eighteen and Under at their local Scotmid store in Fintry, Dundee to congratulate them on winning the funding.
Congratulating the winners, Beaumont said: “I’m extremely proud to have been involved with the launch of this new initiative that will help to give good cause groups a big financial boost and ultimately help to improve the lives of people in our local communities.”
Eighteen and Under’s Keiran Watson thanked Scotmid and everyone who voted for the organisation.
“This is a significant amount of money for a small charity and will enable us to make a positive impact in the community and increase the safety of vulnerable young people,” he said. “I would highly recommend other charities to explore Scotmid’s Community Connect scheme as a source of funding.”
Community Connect was exclusively trialled in Scotmid’s North Member Region and will now be rolled out to Members in the West.
The new short-listed good cause groups for both regions will be confirmed by the end of October with Scotmid members in the West Region receiving Community Connect cards in the post to enable them to collect votes which they can cast at their AGM in April 2018.
